Fallen
by Serena Thorn
Summary: Good girls aren't supposed to fall for bad boys


Title: Fallen  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Good girls aren't supposed to fall for bad boys.  
Spoilers: Through 3x15 with continued Vol. 4  
Disclaimer: Heroes is not owned by me, but by Tim Kring. I'm simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment.  
A/N: Written for the http:// community[dot]livejournal[dot]com/sylaire_chall/ challenge 9: Fall

* * *

It had been months since the plane crash, but still every night when Claire laid down she still felt herself falling.

Falling faster every night, descending further into her newfound darkness.

She never expected anyone to catch her. But every night she would land in a strong pair of arms. She wanted to believe it was her father who was saving her. He had been the pilot of that plane after all. And he had tried to protect her even then. But she never saw the man's face. Only darkness.

Of course he knew she thought of him. He could feel her just as she could feel him now. Their bond undeniable, their connection only growing stronger.

In her dreams she never feared him, instead drawing comfort from his protection. As much as he wanted her to see him, to know that he could be as kind as he had once been cruel, he knew she would never accept him. Not like this. Not yet.

Every day Noah was still making his feelings about Sylar known and try as she might, Claire couldn't completely agree anymore. This time it had been Nathan and Angela who had betrayed them. Not Sylar.

Sandra had been more subtle. Warning Claire of the dangers of falling for the bad boy. Sure they were nice to look at and even fun to entice, to a point.

Still Sandra knew Claire would fall for a man similar to her father. Of course she had once believed that had meant West. She guessed part of her wanted to believe that. Of course explaining that to Noah would be far easier.

Yes, Claire had fallen for a man somewhat like her father but in no way was he West. This man didn't lack the fire or passion that she craved. Claire knew now that fire and passion only burned within one man that she knew personally. Far more personally than most had ever intended.

"I know you're here," Claire breathed into the darkness of her room late one night. It wasn't that she had heard him creep in. No, just the opposite. It was all too quiet.

Sylar could all too easily hear it in her voice. She had known this night was coming and more than anything she seemed to be thankful it was finally here.

"Then shouldn't you be crying out for Daddy?" he asked as he stepped closer.

"What took you so long?" was her only reply. She finally knew for sure he had been the one in her dreams. After all, who else would keep his face hidden from her? "Another bad taco?" she finally quipped.

Sylar smiled as he cautiously took a seat beside Claire on her bed. "Something like that. I guess you could say I had another few loose ends to tie up."

"And those included making me dream about you every night?"

"You're all I think about, Claire. Well, aside from the times I've needed to set some things straight. I just thought I'd return the favor."

"Why do you keep saving me?"

"Because you have to realize you're scared of the wrong person. I'm no the villain you think I am."

"You're still a killer."

"Not because I want to be. I never asked to be this monster. Just like you never asked to be what you've become. In a perfect world you'd still be a naïve, little cheerleader, Daddy's little princess, planning your perfect future with some airhead star quarterback and never have any idea of the world you've known. But no. Instead you're here, having lived through more than most people can imagine, with me. Despite who and what I am, you're still sitting here on your bed with me, a notorious serial killer you and your father have tried to kill repeatedly, wanting me to keep talking because you know that when I leave you'll be feeling more alone than you already do."

She didn't ask him how he knew what she was thinking. She knew that he knew how her mind worked. Maybe she was just that predictable.

"We really are more alike than you think we are, Claire," he stated with a cautious smile, his gaze still locked on hers.

Good girls weren't supposed to fall for bad boys, for bad men. The heroine was never supposed to feel anything but fear towards the villain, she knew this. Even then the words were repeating like a rhythmic chant in her mind. But now he wasn't chasing her, he wasn't threatening her or her family. He was just talking to her, almost seeming like he wanted to comfort her. Like he was once again trying to make up for how he had hurt her in the past.

"How did you get away from them? How did you keep from getting captured?" she finally asked.

He sighed, unsure if he should tell her. This night wasn't about scaring her and he feared doing just that.

"I had to play both sides. Pretend that I was working with them when really I wanted their efforts to fail more than anyone. Not only because I've been locked away in cages long enough, but when everyone is special no one is. What Nathan was doing was wrong in every way and if I had to get inside to tear his plan apart then so be it."

"Did you mean to save us all?"

He knew what she was asking. If he had just wanted the glory of killing the specials himself or if he had changed enough to let them live.

"Just you," he half-smiled.

"So you could be the one to kill me?" The question escaped her as a reflex, she still couldn't imagine him wanting her to live, but she couldn't take it back. Already she could see the fury in his eyes.

"No, Claire," he nearly growled. "When I said you can never die I didn't mean due to your ability. You nearly proved that back at Primatech. I meant that I won't let you die. Not the night I first came here, not now, not ever."

"But what if someone does manage to kill me one day? Nathan? Angela? Some random accident?"

"Then they will know hell on earth like no one else."

"Why do you care so much?" Searching his expression had been of no use, she clearly couldn't read his mind and there seemed to be so much more to this. Yet she couldn't begin to understand it.

"We're connected, Claire. We have been since the start. And somehow the idea of living forever doesn't seem empty when I know you and I will both live forever."

He didn't like the idea of being completely alone any more than she did, though he was obviously better at hiding it. At least from anyone who wasn't Claire Bennet.

"Well I guess as far as immortals go, I could do worse than having you around," she partially joked.

Sylar almost laughed with her. But just then he heard the sound of the front door closing. It had to be Noah, anyone else would let their footsteps be heard.

"Wait," she told him as she watched Sylar stand. "You're not staying?"

"Don't worry, Claire. You won't spend forever alone. And the day I can be sure I won't get my head blown off for it is the day you'll wake up beside me."

With that he teleported out of her room, leaving Claire to wonder what exactly had happened tonight. Though she knew at least one good thing had come of it. There was one less person she had to fear and someone she knew would seek vengeance for her should something happen. She couldn't help but appreciate the irony of it being Sylar.

Maybe it was true that the good girls shouldn't fall for the bad boys, but as Claire laid back down moments later with a smile, she knew it was too late for her. And that was the last of her falling dreams, for now she had completely fallen.

The End


End file.
